A known strobe device for a camera includes an internal power supply and an external power supply as power supplies for charging a main capacitor that applies a voltage to a flash discharge tube. In this strobe device, charging speed of the main capacitor is switched depending on whether only the internal power supply is used or both the internal power supply and the external power supply are used (see JP2003-295280A). Another known strobe device sets a charging electric current of the main capacitor based on a temperature of the battery (see JP 2006-58482A).
A columnar lithium battery, which is substantially the same size as an alkaline battery and a nickel-metal hydride battery in an AA size, is commercially available as a battery used for a strobe device in a replaceable manner. Rated voltages of the alkaline battery and the nickel-metal hydride battery are 1.5V to 1.2V, while a rated voltage of the lithium battery is 3.7V. That is, the rated voltage of the lithium battery is more than twice as high as the rated voltages of the alkaline battery and the nickel-metal hydride battery.
As the lithium battery has a higher rated voltage than the alkaline battery and the nickel-metal hydride battery, a charging speed of the main capacitor when the lithium battery is used is preferably lower than that of the main capacitor when the alkaline battery or the nickel-metal hydride battery is used so that a battery with a long life can be provided.